


Dolls Or Action Figures

by CaryceJade



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Dolls or action figures, Fluff and Angst, I Blame Tumblr, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Sorry, Love Confessions, M/M, Robbie has anxiety issues, Somewhat off-screen vomiting, Sportacus is kind, Stephanie is observant, What is the truth?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 10:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9319562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaryceJade/pseuds/CaryceJade
Summary: While plotting a new plot to drive Sportacus out of town, his action figures that he uses to plan his plots reveal other ideas. Also, Stephanie definitely ships it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a post on tumblr that grabbed me on my lunch break at work last night, and it just sort of wrote itself.
> 
> If you are one of those people that are triggered by vomit, even of the non-graphic variety, turn back. 
> 
> I have known many people with the sort of anxiety that makes them do this over the years. 
> 
> I sort of fell into this fandom by accident, but oh well, I like it here.

Robbie was sitting cross-legged behind the wall that seemed to meander through parts of LazyTown. With him were two dolls, one of Sportacus, the other of himself. Of course, he wouldn't _dare_ call them dolls. They were one-of-a-kind action figures, of course. 

Now, as to what Robbie was doing behind the wall with his action figures, well, that was fairly simple. He was planning his latest plot to get Sportacus out of town, and the kids back to being comfortably lazy (and conveniently quiet), of course. 

The only problem was, the dolls were not _cooperating_. The more bent he was on planning and implementing the _perfect_ plot, the more the dolls seemed bent on endeavours of a more _friendly_ nature. 

Now, if Robbie were being truly honest with himself, which he was loath to do, the dolls’ endeavours were more in line with his own personal leanings. Deep down, he truly _did_ want Sportacus to like him, and, even deeper down, in his heart of hearts, he wanted more than that. 

Speaking of Sportacus, there he was, flipping down the street. Hoping to avoid him at this stage, he made a break for it, not realising that he had left the dolls lying behind the wall.

Had he waited a moment longer, he would have seen a very puzzled and saddened sports elf gazing at him. 

* * *

Sportacus looked after Robbie’s retreating form, looking somehow both confused and forlorn. He truly wanted to reach out to the other man, but it seemed to be like grasping a handful of river mud. Every time that it seemed like they were making progress, having some truly honest conversations, even adapting to each other’s personal inclinations, like Robbie playing a game with the children _with the children knowing who he was all along_ , or Sportacus actually being able to sit still and have a quiet, thoughtful, and surprisingly lengthy conversation with Robbie about everything from their childhoods to what ultimately brought each of them to LazyTown. 

Even though they weren't close friends by any definition, Sportacus genuinely cared about Robbie, and was very emotionally invested in seeing Robbie be the best version of himself that he was capable of being. He knew very well that any changes would be made at Robbie's tempo in that area, and he was willing to wait for any progress, as well as applaud at any effort.

He gave the retreating (and rapidly disappearing) villain another sad look, then flipped towards the soccer field, hoping that even just kicking the ball around would tire him out enough to keep his thoughts from waking him. 

* * *

Stephanie was bored. Even a fairly active child gets bored sometimes, after all. She had not seen Sportacus yet today, or even Robbie Rotten. Now, not seeing either one was not unusual, as sometimes one wouldn't see Robbie for several days, and every once in a while, there would be a day where she did not see Sportacus. Usually, though, Sportacus tried to warn then if he was going to be away or unavailable. She noticed that Robbie never played his schemes on those rare days, but did sometimes leave little items to play with, though he would never admit that it was him. 

Making her way through the town towards the soccer field, she spotted a small patch of purple and blue behind the low wall. Making her way over to it, she almost squealed when she found the dolls, one of Robbie, the other of Sportacus, but settled for making a soft gasp instead. 

These dolls were _amazing_ , Stephanie thought as she played with the dolls. They looked virtually identical to Robbie and Sportacus, right down to the subtle variations of their respective hair colours. She quickly began indulging in one of her most closely held hopes. 

In Stephanie’s fantasy world, Robbie and Sportacus had sat down and admitted that they were interested in each other, and were together, caring for one another no matter what came their way. They might have thought that a child might not notice the looks they cast at each other, but she would have been blind not to. Even as oblivious as the other kids could be, _they_ had noticed.

She didn't see a slightly panicked Robbie heading her way, and she definitely did not see Sportacus put the balls he used away, and start flipping back towards her general location.

* * *

Robbie was an anxious mess. His action figures were missing. As he headed back towards the location where he last saw them, he hoped that none of the kids had gotten ahold of them, and he certainly hoped Sportacus hadn not found them. That would require far more explanation than he was ever willing to give. 

As he headed towards the wall, he almost gave a shriek of horror as he saw the pink girl with the action figures. 

* * *

Sportacus flipped back towards the wall, intending to use it to stop a moment in order to decide what he wanted to do next. As he rounded the corner, he spied Stephanie playing with a pair of dolls, making them embrace, and even kiss. He then realised that the dolls were of him and Robbie. He opened his mouth to ask Stephanie where she got the dolls, but no sound came out. He then locked eyes with Robbie as he advanced towards the wall. He saw Robbie turn a variety of reds,then, as he noticed Sportacus, all the colour seemed to drain from his face, and he spun around and sprinted off, much to the concern of the elf. 

* * *

Stephanie was in shock. She saw Robbie and Sportacus coming at the same time, from opposite directions. As they spotted her and the dolls, time seemed to slow down.

She saw Robbie stop and try to mentally process what she was doing. He turned a bit red, and she was afraid that he would be angry, but then she realised that it was a flush of embarrassment rather than anger, then, as he noticed Sportacus, who had just begun to do a rather amazing impression of a goldfish, his face completely drained of colour, making her think that he was going to either pass out, be sick, or both. He then turned on his heel and sprinted off.

Stephanie turned towards Sportacus, whose mouth was still hanging open, then rapidly said, “I'msorryIgottagouncleneedsmebye,” and ran off, leaving Sportacus trying to process what he had just seen. 

She did not see the sports elf sprint in the direction that Robbie had departed in, or the worry on his face. 

* * *

Robbie collapsed in his chair, wrapping long arms around his legs, struggling not to be sick out of anxiety. He could feel the burn of acid in the back of his throat, so it might be a losing battle. 

He knew, the voice in his head was taunting him. He _knew_. He must be so disgusted. The town’s laziest citizen, the villain (though sometimes friend and ally, another part of his mind interjected), the _freak_ having a crush on him. 

<>It made him feel even sicker, the nausea paralysing him almost as much as the anxiety. He slowly began the journey to the bathroom just off the main room of his lair, not wanting to have to deal with a mess later on.

He didn't even hear the knock at the entrance to his lair, or the concerned voice of a certain elf, having just barely made it in time. 

* * *

Sportacus knocked at the entrance to Robbie's lair, then, getting no response, not even a “go away,” made the either brave or responsible decision to go in anyway. 

He first looked around, then, hearing someone being sick nearby, shook his head sadly, making his way towards the bathroom. While he did not understand how someone could get themselves so worked up over something that it made them sick, he also realised that he himself did not have the same sort of anxieties and self-esteem issues that Robbie seemed to have. While he feared failure in his capacity as a hero, and feared rejection a little in the interpersonal and romantic arenas, he had a healthy enough self-esteem that he knew that it did not affect his value as a sentient being.

Since Robbie had not closed the door, he knocked quietly on the doorframe in order to announce his presence, loudly enough to be heard, though not loudly enough to scare. He then got a cup of water and dampened a cloth. 

He knelt down beside the other man, who had stopped being sick, but was still shaking. He gently laid a hand on his shoulder, asking softly, “Are you done for now?” At the nod, he offered the cup of water, reaching over to flush the toilet. He then waited until Robbie had taken a few swallows of the water (without any wincing or gagging), and ran the cloth over his face and the back of his neck. 

“You must hate me,” Robbie said softly, voice hoarse. 

Sportacus shook his head. “No,” he said softly. “I don't hate you. Why would I?” He knelt back down and laid a hand back on his shoulder, forcing Robbie to look at him.

“I don't hate you,” Sportacus said again. “In fact, actually, my feelings are something else entirely.” He took a deep breath, gathering up his courage in order to say what was probably the most important sentence he had ever said in his life. “I love you, Robbie.”

He saw Robbie's eyes go wide, completely in shock, then, as the words sunk in, his eyes filled with tears. “Why? Why me?” He took a shaky breath. “After everything?”

Sportacus nodded. “No matter what. You're smart, you’re funny, you’re quite handsome, and you’re kind when you think no one is watching. And if you don't feel the same way, that's okay.”

In spite of crying, Robbie started laughing. “Of course I feel the same way, you silly elf!” He leaned against the man kneeling in front of him, and was drawn in a warm embrace. 

“I mean it,” Sportacus said quietly, just on the edge of Robbie’s hearing. “I love you, and intend to prove it to you every day.”


End file.
